Genome-Wide Identification of Zn2Cys6 Class Fungal-Specific Transcription Factors (ZnFTFs) and Functional Analysis of UvZnFTF1 in Ustilaginoidea virens

Transcription factors (TFs) orchestrate the regulation of cellular gene expression and thereby determine cell functionality. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of TFs containing domains, which named as ZnFTFs, both in ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi. We found that ZnFTFs were widely distributed in these fungal species, but there was more expansion of the ZnFTF class in Ascomycota than Basidiomycota. We identified 40 ZnFTFs in Ustilaginoidea virens, and demonstrated the involvement of UvZnFTF1 in vegetative growth, conidiation, pigment biosynthesis and pathogenicity. RNA-Seq analysis suggested that UvZnFTF1 may regulate different nutrient metabolism pathways, the production of secondary metabolites, and the expression of pathogen-host interaction genes and secreted protein- encoding genes. Analysis of the distribution of different fungal TFs in U. virens further demonstrated that UvZnFTFs make up a large TF family and may play essential biological roles in U. virens.